Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will honor World Chess Champion D. Gukesh on Tuesday with a felicitation ceremony and a cheque for ₹5 crore. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and chess legend Viswanathan Anand will also be present.
Gukesh arrived in Chennai on Monday with his parents after securing the World Championship title in Singapore.
At Chennai International Airport, he was greeted by Atulya Misra, Additional Chief Secretary (Youth Affairs and Sports Development), and Meghanath Reddy, Member-Secretary of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).
Watch: D Gukesh’s participation in ceremonial parade brings Chennai to a standstill
A specially decorated vehicle, showcasing Gukesh’s accomplishments, transported the new champion and his parents.
The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) recognizes Gukesh as an “elite sportsperson,” providing him with continued financial support under the high-incentive category.
In 2023, the Tamil Nadu government organized the Chennai Grand Masters event specifically to assist Gukesh in accumulating FIDE circuit points.
Gukesh’s victory in the Chennai event was crucial for his qualification for the Candidates Tournament 2024.
His success in the Candidates Tournament subsequently secured his place in the World Chess Championship held in Singapore.
The Tamil Nadu government’s intervention in hosting the Chennai event was instrumental, as Gukesh lacked the necessary circuit points to qualify for the Candidates Tournament initially.
Last week in Singapore, 18-year-old Gukesh triumphed over China’s Ding Liren with a score of 7.5-6.5, becoming the youngest World Chess Champion and surpassing Garry Kasparov’s long-held record.
In 1985, at the age of 22, Kasparov claimed the World Chess Championship title by defeating the then-champion Anatoly Karpov.
Gukesh is set to compete against Magnus Carlsen, the world’s highest-rated player, at the Norway Chess Tournament next year.
The Norway Chess Tournament, scheduled from May 26 to June 6, 2025, in Stavanger, Norway, is expected to be a major event for chess enthusiasts worldwide.
In the 2023 Stavanger tournament, Gukesh achieved a third-place finish.
This time, he returns as World Champion, poised to challenge the top players, including Carlsen.
